Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill celebrates as his leaves the field after their win against the San Diego Chargers during an NFL football game in San Diego, Sunday, Nov. 13, 2016. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)

Since being drafted eight overall in 2012, the former Texas A&M standout has had an unremarkable career, at least by the standards of NFL starting quarterbacks. After throwing 12 touchdowns compared to 13 interceptions as a rookie, Tannehill’s passer rating bounced between 14th and 24th in the league. Through those three seasons, he threw between 24 and 27 touchdown passes, never had fewer than 12 picks, and saw his yards per attempt hover between 6.7 and 7.2.

At first glance, his fifth season does not appear to be much different. In nine games, his passer rating is 91.3, sandwiched between Philip Rivers and Alex Smith for 18th. He has 10 touchdown passes and seven interceptions. Only twice has he thrown for more than 260 yards.

But slice the season in half and a different picture emerges. Tannehill has not been picked off in four consecutive outings, his longest such streak since 2012. Not coincidentally, the Dolphins (5-4) have won all four games.

Miami’s offensive line has helped him, giving up just three sacks since giving up 17 in the first five games. The team has also been able to lean more heavily on second-year running back Jay Ajayi, who has 608 yards since Week 6.

“The last four games, we’ve played a lot more balanced football,” Dolphins coach Adam Gase said. “(Tannehill) hasn’t had to really force anything, he’s made a lot of really good decisions the times that it’s been crunch time on third downs and things like that.”

Who’s coaching the Dolphins?

At 38-years old, Gase is the youngest coach in the NFL. Halfway through his first season with the Dolphins, he’s proven why he deserved the job.

The team has shaken off an ugly 1-4 start, winning its last four games and establishing an offense that now ranks eight in the league with 6.0 yards per play. Gase had earned a good reputation as Peyton Manning’s quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator in Denver and helped Jay Cutler put up the best passer rating of his career in Chicago. In Miami, his task was to elevate an offense that ranked 27th in points and 26th in yards.

The team’s four-win streak — sparked by both Tannehill’s efficient play and running back Jay Ajayi’s recent breakout — has prompted effusive praise from Stephen Ross, who has yet to see a winning season since he became the franchise’s majority owner in January 2009.

“Adam has already changed the culture of the Miami Dolphins,” Ross told the Miami Herald.

Tannehill echoed those comments Wednesday: “I think he’s done a great job of establishing a mindset, building a culture around our building, a belief in each other.”

By the numbers?

83.6 — Ryan Tannehill’s passer rating through first five games, in which he threw six TDs, seven interceptions

102.4 — Tannehill’s passer rating through last four games, all of them wins

Player to watch?

Since he entered the NFL in 2010, Ndamukong Suh has been among the league’s most terrifying defenders. Although 10 of his 47 career sacks came during his rookie year, much of his impact as an interior rusher goes undetected by the stat sheet. He also has become an increasingly effective run stopper and was ranked last year as the 27th-best player in the NFL by Pro Football Focus.

Only two defensive tackles placed ahead of him: the Bengals’ Geno Atkins and the Rams’ Aaron Donald.

“He’s a special player,” Gase said of Suh. “I never thought I’d be around a guy that athletic, that big, that plays interior defensive line the way that he’s been playing.”

What did he say?

“I’m not really big on giving him advice before we play him.”

— Tannehill, after being asked if he had any tips for Rams rookie Jared Goff

Jack Wang covers the Chargers, the latest NFL team to relocate to Los Angeles. He previously covered the Rams, and also spent four years on the UCLA beat, a strange period in which the Bruins' football program often outpaced their basketball team. He is a proud graduate of UC Berkeley, where he spent most of his time in The Daily Californian offices in Eshleman Hall — a building that did not become earthquake-safe until after his time on campus.